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Samantha Balaban Samantha Balaban is a producer at Weekend Edition.
Samantha Balaban in the field.
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Samantha Balaban

Samantha Balaban in the field.
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Tanya Habjouqa/NPR
Samantha Balaban in the field.
Tanya Habjouqa/NPR

Samantha Balaban

Producer, Weekend Edition

Samantha Balaban is a producer at Weekend Edition.

After receiving her M.A. in Journalism and Latin American studies from New York University, she got her start in public radio covering the James "Whitey" Bulger trial for WBUR as an intern. Since coming to NPR in 2014, she has reported on a perfume-loving tiger, traveled to Mexico to meet actor Diego Luna (and cover the elections), ridden with border patrol officers along the Rio Grande River, eaten very well in Houston, interviewed a Bangle and used her waterproof fanny pack to help keep her mic dry during hurricanes. She's also responsible for Picture This, a series of conversations with authors and illustrators.

Most days, you can find her under a pile of books and mail coordinating Weekend Edition's book coverage. On weekends, she's hanging out with her dog, Winnie.

Story Archive

Saturday

In a 'Still Life' painting nothing moves — but, wait! Was that a dragon?
Illustrations © 2024 Paul O. Zelinsky/HarperCollins Publishers

Picture This

In a 'Still Life' painting nothing moves — but, wait! Was that a dragon?

An authoritative artist has many rules for his still life painting. Too bad! Because the mouse, the dragon, the knight, and the princess are here to break them in this raucous new picture book.

PICTURE THIS: STILL LIFE

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Saturday

Granny is going on 'The Walk' to the polls — and the whole town is invited
Abrams Books

Picture This

Granny is going on 'The Walk' to the polls — and the whole town is invited

"Leaders are not born," Granny says. "They're made through molding and modeling." That's why she and her granddaughter and putting on their hats and coats and walking to the polls.

PICTURE THIS: THE WALK

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Sunday

A little mouse sets sail on a big adventure in 'The Ship in the Window'
Penguin Young Readers/Viking Books for Young Readers

Picture This

A little mouse sets sail on a big adventure in 'The Ship in the Window'

Author Travis Jonker and illustrator Matthew Cordell talk about the real model ship that inspired their picture book about a man, his son, a mouse, and the voyage that brings them together.

PICTURE THIS: The Ship In The Window

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Sunday

Some babysitters are forever — just ask 'Señora Mimí'
Illustrations copyright © 2024 by Brittany Cicchese/Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA

Picture This

Some babysitters are forever — just ask 'Señora Mimí'

Ana is so excited that her abuela is coming to live with her — until it means saying goodbye to her babysitter. No More Señora Mimí is an ode to caregivers from Meg Medina and Brittany Cicchese.

PICTURE THIS: No More Señora Mimí

Listen · 7:25
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Saturday

'The Dictionary Story' is a kids' book that defies definition
Copyright © 2024 by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston/Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA on behalf of Walker Books, London

Picture This

'The Dictionary Story' is a kids' book that defies definition

Dictionary wants to bring her pages to life but then a hungry alligator chasing a donut crashes into a queen who slips on some soap and chaos ensues. Can Dictionary put herself back together again?

'The Dictionary Story' is a kids' book that defies definition

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Saturday

Death Educator Gabrielle R. Gatto and artist Mary Pat Klein host "Grieving & Weaving" at The Green-Wood cemetery on July 23, 2024.

Death educator Gabrielle R. Gatto and artist Mary Pat Klein host "Grieving & Weaving" at The Green-Wood Cemetery on July 23, 2024. Mengwen Cao for NPR hide caption

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Mengwen Cao for NPR

Culture

A death educator and a knitter walk into a cemetery — it's "Grieving & Weaving"

In an historic Brooklyn cemetery, a death educator and a professional knitter have been holding an event series called "Grieving & Weaving" to help people process loss through collective crafting.

A death educator and a knitter walk into a cemetery — it's "Grieving & Weaving"

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Saturday

To learn 'The Truth About Dragons,' go on a quest through this kids' book
Hanna Cha / Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Picture This

To learn 'The Truth About Dragons,' go on a quest through this kids' book

A little boy must go on a hero's quest — through woods full of oak trees and a bamboo forest — to discover "The Truth About Dragons" in Julie Leung and Hanna Cha's Caldecott Honor children's book.

PICTURE THIS: THE TRUTH ABOUT DRAGONS

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Saturday

Tiny Desk Contest finalist Ollella pays homage to her aunt in 'Tea Kettle Tea'
Kendall Rock

Tiny Desk Contest

Tiny Desk Contest finalist Ollella pays homage to her aunt in 'Tea Kettle Tea'

Ellie Barber, who performs as Ollella, talks about memory, loss and ongoing love with her Tiny Desk Contest entry, "Tea Kettle Tea."

Tiny Desk Contest finalist Ollela reflects on her entry 'Tea Kettle Tea'

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Sunday

Emergency Quarters

Emergency Quarters Illustrations © 2024 by Gracey Zhang hide caption

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Illustrations © 2024 by Gracey Zhang

Picture This

'Emergency Quarters' are for pay phones (remember those?) in a new book by ‘90s kids

Ernesto's mom gives him a quarter every morning. "For emergencies," she says. "If you need me, look for a pay phone." Hey, it was the '90s! But how will Ernesto spend his Emergency Quarters?

'Emergency Quarters' are for pay phones (remember those?) in a new book by ‘90s kids

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Saturday

National

Behind the scenes of Detroit's urban resurgence

Detroit's population is growing, a first since the 1950s. The uptick is small but significant for a city that's struggled for decades.

Behind the scenes of Detroit's urban resurgence

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Saturday

When Baby Sloth tumbles out of a tree, Mama Sloth comes for him — s l o w l y
Illustrations © 2024 by Brian Cronin/Rocky Pond Books

Picture This

When Baby Sloth tumbles out of a tree, Mama Sloth comes for him — s l o w l y

Did you know on average a sloth will fall out of a tree once a week for its entire life? It's true — and the inspiration for Brian Cronin and Doreen Cronin's new children's book, Mama in the Moon.

PICTURE THIS: MAMA IN THE MOON

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Sunday

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'
Illustrations © 2024 Jess Hannigan

Author Interviews

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'

There's trouble in the town of Bad Göodsburg! A wishing well has stopped working! NPR's Tamara Keith talks with Jess Hannigan about her new children's book, "Spider in the Well."

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'

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Saturday

George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids
Crown Books for Young Readers

Picture This

George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids

When actor George Takei was 4 years old, he was labeled an "enemy" by the U.S. government and sent to a string of incarceration camps. His new children's book about that time is My Lost Freedom.

George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids

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Monday

Israelis Return to a City that was Attacked

Oriya Dahan, 11 poses for a portrait at Alon Sciences elementary school in Sderot, Israel on March 20, 2024. Maya Levin for NPR hide caption

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Maya Levin for NPR

State of the World from NPR

Israelis Return to a City that was Attacked

Sderot, Israel, near the border with Gaza, was the biggest city attack by Hamas on October 7th. At the beginning of the war, Israel evacuated nearly everyone. Our correspondent visits Sderot and finds that people are returning.

Israelis Return to a City that was Attacked

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Thursday

The Story of an Israeli Man Taken Hostage By Hamas, Now Free

Luis Har, who was taken hostage during the October 7 Hamas attacks and freed by an Israeli special forces operation in February, sits for a portrait in Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 27, 2024. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

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Tamir Kalifa for NPR

State of the World from NPR

The Story of an Israeli Man Taken Hostage By Hamas, Now Free

We hear the story of an Israeli man taken captive by Hamas on October 7th. He was freed by Israeli special forces 129 days later and talks about his ordeal.

The Story of an Israeli Man Taken Hostage By Hamas, Now Free

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Sunday

'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo
Illustrations © 2024 by Erin Kraan

Picture This

'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo

'Buffalo Fluffalo' may seem big and intimidating, but it's all puffery. He really just needs some snuggalos from his friends in this rhyming book from author Bess Kalb and illustrator Erin Kraan.

'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo

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Saturday

Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'
Illustrations © 2023 by Anait Semirdzhyan

Picture This

Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'

Little Tato sneaks a few cherry plums before grabbing a mop and a hose to help Bábo — her grandmother — with a favorite chore.

Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'

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Sunday

Music News

How sweet the sound: 'Amazing Grace' turns 250

2023 is the 250th anniversary year of "Amazing Grace." It was first performed on New Year's Day, 1773, and has gone through many changes over the years.

'Amazing Grace' was first performed on New Year's Day over 250 years ago

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Tuesday

Rose Previte, of D.C.'s Michelin star restaurant Maydān, releases her debut cookbook

Rose Previte's stuffed summer squash with lamb and rice, from her new cookbook, Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption

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Elissa Nadworny/NPR

Food

Rose Previte, of D.C.'s Michelin star restaurant Maydān, releases her debut cookbook

The word maydan means a gathering place. And that's what Rose Previte wants her debut cookbook, Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond, to be: a way for people to come together around table.

Rose Previte, of D.C.'s Michelin star restaurant Maydān, releases her debut cookbook

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Sunday

Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'
Illustrations Copyright © 2023 by Jon Klassen

Picture This

Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'

"How does he do it?" Author Mac Barnett and illustrator Jon Klassen squeeze, squash and generally put Santa through the wringer while trying to answer an age-old Christmas mystery.

Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'

Listen · 9:14
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Saturday

Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh
Illustrations © Axel Scheffler

Picture This

Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh

From the author and illustrator of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom now comes The Baddies: a witch, a troll and a ghost like being bad so much they compete to see who can be the very worst.

Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh

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Monday

We rewind to a time when Israel and Gaza were close to peace

U.S. President Bill Clinton and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat inaugurated the Gaza International Airport in 1998 in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip. The presidential visit and the launching of the airport were seen as an important steps in the effort to establish a Palestinian state. Santiago Lyon/AP hide caption

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Santiago Lyon/AP

State of the World from NPR

We rewind to a time when Israel and Gaza were close to peace

We hear about a time when an airport opened in Gaza, a U.S. president visited and it seemed like Palestinian statehood was close to being a reality.

We rewind to a time when Israel and Gaza were close to peace

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Friday

An aid lifeline to Gaza: we go to the only crossing point in or out of the territory

Aid trucks queue to enter Palestinian territories from the Egypt side of the Rafah Border Crossing on Nov. 15, 2023. Gehad Hamdy/picture alliance via Getty Images hide caption

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Gehad Hamdy/picture alliance via Getty Images

State of the World from NPR

An aid lifeline to Gaza: we go to the only crossing point in or out of the territory

There's only one place goods or people are allowed to enter or leave Gaza. Our reporter is in Rafah, Egypt and sees the trickle of aid going into Gaza.

An aid lifeline to Gaza: we go to the only crossing point in or out of the territory

Listen · 13:11
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Tuesday

What will it take to free the hostages in Gaza? Many Israelis support a prisoner swap

Shira Albag, (c) mother of hostage Liri Albag protests with family outside the ministry of defense base on November 04, 2023 in Tel Aviv Israel. Liri Albag, 18, is a surveillance soldier at the Nahal Oz army base, was taken captive by Gazan militants on Saturday, October 7, as they took control of the Israeli army base. Maya Levin for NPR hide caption

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Maya Levin for NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

What will it take to free the hostages in Gaza? Many Israelis support a prisoner swap

About 240 Israeli and foreign nationals have been held hostage in Gaza for a month. Many Israelis are calling for Israel to release all Palestinian detainees in exchange for the captives' freedom.

What will it take to free the hostages in Gaza? Many Israelis support a prisoner swap

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